Technical Field
This disclosure relates generally to smoking devices and in particular to a smoking device for use in windy or wind-like conditions.
State of the Art
Smoking in circumstances that create windy conditions can be a challenge. For example, riding a motorcycle, operating a boat, riding in a convertible, or any other condition that exposes a person to windy conditions can make smoking difficult or impossible, not to mention the dangers presented to inexperienced enthusiasts and/or the environment.
There are only two places to put a lit tobacco product while engaging in behavior that generates windy conditions—in one's mouth or in one's hand. Nevertheless, in either case, the lit tobacco product must be shielded from the wind. And, while in the mouth, great care must be taken in an attempt to limit the amount of ash that may be blown back into the user's eyes and face. These concerns force the operator to constantly determine how to manage the operation of the equipment and the tobacco product at the same time. For example, where does the lit tobacco product go in an emergency? The mouth? The hand? The ground? How is the lit tobacco product to be shielded from the wind? And where does the tobacco product end up? Does the operator wait for the tobacco product to self-extinguish or does the operator try to extinguish it? Worse yet, does the operator simply toss it, raising safety concerns to the surrounding environment, especially in dry conditions?
In the case of a cigar, the dangers to the operator can be more severe. Swirling air currents can cause the cigar to disintegrate, burn unevenly, or even turn into a roman candle, which poses a major health risk to those individuals that have a beard.
Thus, there is a need in the tobacco industry for a device that addresses the concerns raised above and allows an operator to enjoy a good smoke while operating a vehicle or other motorized machine that may create windy or wind-like conditions.